The Politics of Voting

So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that among the gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; instead, whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.” Mark 10:42-44

Dear Friends,

As I am writing this weekly update, people are lined up outside First Lutheran waiting for the opportunity to vote on the referendum questions. It seems like a particularly appropriate time to talk about how we live out our faith in the public arena… for example, when we vote! You’ve probably heard the saying that the way to not lose friends is to not talk about religion and politics… Since I talk “religion” to you all the time, I might as well talk about “politics,” too!

My starting point for this meditation is my life in the United States. In the U.S. Constitution, it clearly establishes a policy called the separation of Church and State. (I know that in Canada, things are a little bit different!) For a lot of people, this translates to the idea that our faith and government are not only two separate entities, but also that they don’t have anything to do with each other. This kind of thinking can lead to a compartmentalizing of our faith so that what we do on Sunday morning has nothing to do with how we vote. The original intent of this principle in the U.S. Constitution was to make sure people were not forced to practice a particular religion by a religiously controlled government.

When I look to the life of Jesus, it is clear to me that Jesus was a political figure. He was political in a way that was not about controlling the government or trying to rise to a position of power in government. He was political in the sense that he cared deeply for the polis (which means the “public” or “people”). He helped those in need. He sought to bring people into the community that were ostracized or excluded. He was an advocate for justice and criticized systems that perpetuated inequalities in society. He talked about creating a society that was loving, compassionate, just, gracious, and sought the well-being of all.

For those of us who claim the mantle of “Christians”—and even more accurately “disciples of Jesus”—it seems clear to me that we are called to bring our faith to bear when it comes time for us to vote for those that govern us or issues that impact governmental policy. I personally don’t think that it means that we just vote for people who call themselves Christians. I DO think that it means that we vote for people and the issues that seem to be best aligned with—what we believe to be—God’s will for our society.

I invite you all to exercise your right to vote. I also invite you all to see it as expression of your faith so that the way of life that Jesus lived and taught about can be better reflected in our society and government.

Peace,

Pastor Phil